Jumbo Package: Ole Miss settles, but not before Nutt lands one on the chin

The best double entendre is that which has plausible deniability. And, because I’m secretly a 14-year old, I’m not apologizing for that headline either.

Anyway, Ole Miss decided to try and dump the vast majority of its NCAA woes on the heads of the not-at-all-lamented Houston Dale Nutt. Nutt still harbors a dream to coach one day, so he sued the university for defamation. Ole Miss settled yesterday, issuing the most milquetoast non-apology-apology ever (and presumably some cash and GIGGITY’S legal fees and costs.)

But, by then, the damage had been done: Nutt’s attorneys, and some enterprising ‘State bloggers, rooted out Hugh Freeze’s hooker penchant. And, the Rebels’ most successful coach of the post-Segregation era was fired. You have to think that hit to pride and program in Oxford was really Nutt’s aim anyway: little did he realize, Freeze’s own stupidity did most of the work for him.

Ole’ Hugh is a biblical man, I’d suggest he check out Galatians 6:7.

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Buckled up? Avery Johnson has the first piece in place for another elite class in 2018. Yesterday, coveted PG Jerry Butler chose the Tide. The 6’2” 180-pounder from Louisiana knows exactly what he is too: Collin Sexton’s replacement when the latter is a one-and-done next April. He said as much too. LOL. Butler probably isn’t much of a scoring threat at this level, but he draws a lot of contact and is surprisingly good cleaning up the rim onm top of, you know, that whole assist thing which is the raison d’etre for the position.

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Like most observers,. the Beat guys aren’t seeing much of a tussle this Saturday.

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When you pretty much know you’ll bludgeon a team, that’s the best time to work on your fundamentals. No areas of concern have been greater than returns and holding on kicks. So, that’s what the Tide is focusing on this week.

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Tide coaches named their players of the week yesterday. I’m going to just use this as a template: Bae-mien Harris was again among them. Calvin Ridley also made an appearance for the first time this season.

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Speaking of Damien, after the win he quickly announced to media that he was “100% fine.” That seems to be the case: Harris practiced again yesterday and was not limited. Admit it, you panicked too, right? Alabama can afford a loss in the RB corps, but there’s no serious argument that, again, he’s the best back on the roster when healthy. When he goes pro next Spring, as we all suspect he might, Ima’ send him a big-ass box of thank-you honey buns.

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As for additional honorees, not only did Jonah Williams make the Tide coaches’ team, but he was honored for the second time this season as the SEC’s Offensive Lineman of the Week. That makes four times in seven weeks a Tide player has won this award, with Bradley Bozeman and Matt Womack also picking up some hardware.

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Yet more honors: Five Alabama players were anointed as Midseason All-Americans by the AP, including two ‘Bama defensive backs (I’ll let you guess the other three.)

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Hey, guess what? Derrick Henry is still fast. Last night, The King had a healthy 6.9 yard per carry average, banged out over 100 yards, and sealed the Titans come-from-behind victory with this 72-yard dagger.

@But I thought ‘Bama players were a bust?@

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When CBS Sports wants to fire one of the coaches of their linchpin product, you know things are rough in Knoxville. Yet, the SEC writers at CBS.com did just that. I selfishly want Butch one last time in Tuscaloosa, so he can grace us with the worst beating in series history. Seems a fitting send-off for the Angry Pomegranate. This is now the fourth coach that Saban has outlasted or processed...at Tennessee alone.

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I’ll have some hot degenerate gambling action for you later this evening. For now, go forth to evil.

Speaking of evil, I’m going to the Cannibal Corpse show in Birmingham on Nov. 5th if any of y’all are around, into br00tal deth metal, are going or have the time or inclination to say hi. They have a new album coming out on Nov. 3rd. The first single is available now, “Code of the Slashers.” It’s...ummm....vintage Cannibal Corpse. Anyway, if you’re around the Saturn next Sunday, hit me up.